Posted on 04/15/2002 2:04:02 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- On Saturday, the Organization of American States approved a resolution condemning the "alteration of constitutional order in Venezuela ."
It also invoked a new "Democratic Charter" that could have led to sanctions against the fleeting interim- administration of Pedro Carmona, who resigned Saturday night, just 24-hours after being sworn in, after a series of patently undemocratic moves to close the National Assembly, unseat other elected and appointed public officials, including the Supreme Court, and suspend the constitution.
Latin leaders from Mexico , Argentina and elsewhere said they wouldn't recognize the interim government, but rather wait for elections, which Carmona had promised to hold within a year.
It's understandable that these civilian leaders would be uncomfortable with Venezuela 's military brass removing Chavez Thursday night, given the region's long, painful history of military dictatorships.
But it would be a mistake for the OAS, which is undertaking a fact-finding mission this week in Caracas , to conclude that democracy has been restored simply because Chavez, elected in late 1998, is back in charge.
Chavez and his government have slowly constricted the very constitution they had drafted and garnered approval for in a 1999 referendum. This has been evident not just in many dubious appointments to public office but also in a slew of Chavez decrees late last year. One of the most controversial decrees infringed upon private property rights, which is protected in the constitution.
Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez, who was Chavez' vice-president before being named to his current post, never dismissed legal complaints of corruption against the Chavez administration, nor did he move them on to the Supreme Court for further consideration. In his office, they effectively died in limbo.
Last week, though, an autocratic Chavez and his allies blatantly trashed the constitution and the rule of law.
After a six-week standoff with executives and many workers at state-oil company Petroleos de Venezuela , which has traditionally enjoyed operational autonomy, the country's largest labor organization and business federation, which was headed by Carmona, actually joined hands to launch a nationwide general strike Tuesday.
Chavez and his ministers tried to preempt local media coverage of it by mandating transmission of their messages and speeches throughout the day, violating the media's right to free speech.
Yet the strike was effective, and grew in force Wednesday and Thursday, when more than 150,000 demonstrators marched to the presidential palace to demand Chavez's resignation. They were met by militant, armed supporters of the president and snipers on rooftops, who, according to Metropolitan policeman and an official from the National Guard, were ordered to fire on the demonstrators.
At least 16 were killed and hundreds injured.
The constitutional rights of association, assembly, and, obviously, the right to life, were clearly violated.
Chavez allies have organized, financed and, allegedly, helped arm the militant civilian groups, many of which went on a rampage Saturday, turning Caracas into what seemed like a shooting gallery, according to reports on the ground. At least two dozen more deaths were reported, in addition to looting and other assorted violence.
As the day progressed, Chavez allies complained that local media didn't cover the convergence of thousands of his supporters with the same rigor that they did the peaceful marches earlier in the week, with many not covering the activity at all. Fair enough.
But Chavez's violent rhetoric against the media has frequently resulted in physical assaults on journalists and occasional pipe bombs exploding at media outlets. Shots fired last Thursday resulted in the death of one photographer and injuries to three other journalists.
Saturday, broadcast stations were besieged by violent Chavez supporters. Given the lack of security and clear threats against them, most local newspaper outlets were unable to work either: only two of Caracas ' six newspapers published Sunday editions.
Reporters Without Borders wants Venezuelan authorities to conduct a "thorough investigation" into last Thursday's death of Jorge Tortoza, who was shot in the head, and the injuries of the other three reporters.
So far, though, Venezuela 's reinstalled authorities have said only that they're going to investigate the local broadcasters for their lack of pro-Chavez developments on Saturday. They will also investigate those involved in the " conspiracy" to oust Chavez.
The OAS should have something to say about this, and should also hold Chavez to his word that purges and assorted witch hunts of his opponents won't transpire.
Chavez has antagonized not just the local media, but also the Catholic church, labor unions, the private sector and the middle and upper classes. Upon his return, he also promised reconciliation and openness for opponents.
The OAS, in addition to investigating various violations of constitutional guarantees committed by Chavez and his allies last week, should also press upon him the obligation to respect the constitution.
When the generals told Chavez he was no longer in charge, they made it clear to the nation that they didn't want to take power, and then, on Saturday told Carmona he couldn't wipe away all other public offices.
They had acted in the face of a massive social upheaval against Chavez, and the attempts, successful it appears, to repress it.
Neither the OAS or the Latin American leaders who opposed Chavez's ouster should try to obfuscate Venezuelans' push for democracy and constitutional guarantees last Thursday, or last Saturday.
-By Charles Roth, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-2226; charles.roth@dowjones.com
Untitled
... The recent history of Latin America shows us a region that has grown very little
during the last ten years. Some countries are fledgling democracies after long ...
and it's kind of interesting. One of the "big themes" I keep coming back to is how we on the right/Libertarian side ( dare I steal a word & call us "progressives?" ) are in an Information War with the Left ( dare I call them "regressives?" )-- and how the free flow of information, facts, stories, and data is critical to winning this war.
Which I think we ultimately will win.
A common denominator of oppressive regimes everywhere is how they rely on fear, ignorance, propaganda, and spin to keep their populace in check. The Muslim countries are a case in point, the old USSR was another- where a Xerox machine was a state secret, protected by armed guards to stop "unauthorized copying" of documents.
We seem to be on the same wavelength today.
we wouldn't want to rely only anti-chavez media sources would we? i've read personal accounts by people who where there that say the opposite.
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